Calman Commission (Recommendations)

Scottish Executive Question Time – in the Scottish Parliament at 2:15 pm on 20 May 2010.

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Photo of Patrick Harvie Patrick Harvie Green 2:15, 20 May 2010

To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the United Kingdom Government regarding its intention to implement the recommendations of the Calman commission on Scottish devolution. (S3O-10541)

Photo of Fiona Hyslop Fiona Hyslop Scottish National Party

The First Minister discussed the UK Government's plans for implementing the Calman commission recommendations with the Prime Minister and the Secretary of State for Scotland last Friday.

In my discussions with the secretary of state yesterday, I made clear that the Scottish Government wants early progress on transferring powers to the Scottish Parliament in those areas in which there is agreement. I also raised concerns about the financial aspects of Calman.

Photo of Patrick Harvie Patrick Harvie Green

Some of those concerns are shared. The Calman report goes into several areas of possible devolution of taxes, but its 266 pages contain very little detail on the implementation of such taxes. The UK Government has not provided such detail either.

Does the Government agree that it is important to devolve control over the structure of air passenger duty rather than just the rate, so that we can use it as an additional lever and disincentive for short-haul domestic aviation? That might give us some faith in the words that I am sure we are about to hear from Stewart Stevenson in the following debate on the replacement of domestic aviation with high-speed rail.

Photo of Fiona Hyslop Fiona Hyslop Scottish National Party

We will agree to disagree on some of the financial aspects of Calman. The climate has moved on in a number of areas in relation to finance. The attitude of the previous Government meant—dare I say it—that some of the Calman recommendations were part of a long-haul operation. The question was whether the recommendations would be implemented, rather than what we would do with the powers once they were implemented. The member is right to raise those issues.

Discussions will continue on which powers can be transferred and what that would achieve. I hope that the new climate will allow us to have an open discussion on the larger areas such as taxation, and on some of the areas in which—as the member mentioned—levers can be used to provide incentives.

I cannot speak on Stewart Stevenson's behalf, but I suggest that Patrick Harvie comes back on the issue in this afternoon's debate.

Photo of Pauline McNeill Pauline McNeill Labour

Given that the Parliament voted to support the Calman commission proposals, will the Scottish Government respect its will and urge the new Liberal-Conservative coalition Government to implement all the proposals, including progressing the tax proposals, before the Holyrood elections in 2011?

Photo of Fiona Hyslop Fiona Hyslop Scottish National Party

There was a difference of opinion among all the different parties on the Calman commission proposals. I have answered the first question. There is an open dialogue, which I will continue to pursue in the areas on which there is agreement.

Photo of Jeremy Purvis Jeremy Purvis Liberal Democrat

Let us hope that we do not have a continuation of the previous United Kingdom Government's very slow pace on the issue. Will the minister confirm that, even if the Scottish National Party does not agree with some of the Calman recommendations being implemented, that is not a justification to have them blocked? Does the minister agree that it is for this Parliament to be involved in any further devolution of powers to this Parliament, rather than for an Executive of this Parliament to seek to block them?

Photo of Fiona Hyslop Fiona Hyslop Scottish National Party

I prefer to think in the positive. It would take only 40 days, with Privy Council approval, for some of the orders that are already drafted to make progress. A number of the power changes would require orders in this Parliament and, of course, it would be open to this Parliament to take views on the orders that are presented to it.